Luxury Yacht Builder News

Damen's luxury yacht builder Amels has launched a new 77-meter expedition yacht La Datcha.La Datcha’s emergence from her building hall in the Netherlands this week marks the start of the final stages of her build process before she heads on a global charter itinerary which is set to include heli-skiing in Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands and dive adventures off Papua New Guinea. This a yacht built for adventure – custom designed to explore the world’s far-reaching destinations without compromising on luxury.

The Italian luxury yacht builder Cantiere delle Marche (CdM) announced the sale of DEEP BLUE 43 a new, fully custom 43-metre explorer yacht designed by Horacio Bozzo Design.DEEP BLUE 43 is the latest addition to the yard’s significantly active Order Book. The contract has been signed last December and the latest project’s details have been defined in these last few weeks. The yacht is already under construction with delivery due in 2021.DEEP BLUE 43 has been commissioned by an experienced Owner who, in the past years, owned yachts built by shipyards such as Feadship, Lürssen, Blohm and Voss. He is a repeated client for CdM, a yard which…

Italian luxury yacht builder Ferretti, owned by Chinese industrial conglomerate Weichai Group, has created a new unit to build boats for the patrol and defence of international waters, lands and coastlines, it said on Wednesday. Ferretti Security and Defence (FSD) will design, develop and manufacture defence vessels, target the Middle East and Asian markets, collaborate with other bigger defence companies, and its parent will invest 5 million euros ($5.48 million) in the division this year, Ferretti Chief Executive Alberto Galassi said at the unit's launch in Rome in comments confirmed by a spokesman. The move comes as countries around the world are beefing up defence budgets to respond to heightened security concerns.

The sale of a new 69-metre Yacht Support vessel marks the next level of development for the successful Yacht Support range built by DAMEN in cooperation with Dutch luxury yacht builder AMELS. is the first in the Yacht Support range to feature the ultimate technical area for serious superyacht helicopter operations – a fully enclosed hangar beneath the LY3 / MCA fully certified helideck. The new build vessel is under construction at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem in the Netherlands and scheduled for delivery in June 2016 – the fifth purpose-built Yacht Support vessel to be delivered since DAMEN and AMELS introduced the revolutionary new concept to the superyacht market in 2009.

Euro-American luxury yacht builder Tricon Marine was selected by the Chinese government to join a delegation presenting to local businessmen and women in Boston. Led by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Zhuhai Investment Promotion Bureau, the presentation highlights the region’s most notable business success stories. Tricon’s representatives will describe the company’s experiences building and managing a luxury shipbuilding operation in China. “This is a great time for business partnerships between the United States and China,” said Christos Livadas, Chairman and CEO of Tricon Marine.

Palmer Johnson, luxury yacht builder, has a new president and is introducing a new line of sport yachts. Mike Kelsey, Jr. was elected president of the Sturgeon Bay, Wisc. yacht builder in June 2004. Kelsey's grandfather, Patrick Haggerty, founder of Texas Instruments, purchased the yard in 1961. Kelsey's father Mike Kelsey, Sr. immediately went to work for Haggerty and passed the knowledge of fine yacht building down to his son. While there have been tough financial times at Palmer Johnson during recent years, the younger Kelsey believes the company's new line of sport yachts is a winner. At last year's Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, Palmer Johnson introduced Cover Drive, a very sleek 120-ft. sport yacht.